References

Civil Records
In the 19th century,  Italian towns (comuni) began keeping records for births,  marriages,  and deaths (atti di naschita,  matrimonio,  and morti).  These records provide a trove of information,  and are the sources for much of the data on this web site.   The original records often include additional information that I have not posted here,  such as exact time of birth and the street address where the  birth or death occurred (which at that time would usually been the individual’s residence).  Microfilms of the original records can be obtained from the LDS Library,  please see their web site www.familysearch.org.   www.Ancestry.com also has a small but growing collection of Italian civil records that can be viewed online (none from Campania yet).
 

American emigration records are another excellent source of biographical information.  They record the names of individuals emigrating,  their ports of arrival and departure,  and the name of the ship they travelled on.  Depending on the year, they may include additional information such as a physical description of the individual,  how much cash and luggage they were carrying,  and the name and address of  their closest relation in the US.  Images of emigration records for individuals arriving at New York can be found at www.ellisisland.org.   Images of records from other ports (Boston,  Philadelphia,  etc.) can be found at www.Ancestry.com.

Census